TAT Day 13 (Sept 28) Canyonville OR- Port Orford OR

DAN/RYK- FINAL DAY Canyonville OR

DAN- START OF FINAL DAY (leaving Canyonville OR)

ROGUE RIVER

Another View of  ROGUE RIVER

Coast Mountain Range (Port Orford OR)

More ROGUE RIVER

Still More ROGUE RIVER

Dan:  The last day of the adventure and only a 140 miles to ride.  A leisurely breakfast and we head south on highway I5 to pick up the trail.  The map and charts are not specific, but our guess is correct and we fall right into it.  The first section is a serious climb to get into and across the coastal mountains.  Oregon is rainy and the abundance of trees is a testament. Our views show the patchwork art of clear cutting and stages of reforestation.  After a couple hours we reach Big Dutchman Butte.  this is a fantastic vantage to view ridges and forests 360 degrees. there is a route change due to recent fires and we are on alert.  After roughly 70 miles of dirt road a jeep track, we are foiled by the chart.  We retrace our route to a last positive location and try again.  bonus miles are a common occurrence when following a roll chart.  We do this several times and agree that we better get off the mountain and find a point of reference to get back on the course at a future location.  This is more difficult than we imagined.  We end up retracing our entire mornings ride and get back to a main road.  this road is not on our map or a Oregon campground map or the AAA road map.  We suspect we are south of the course, but how far?  We explore in several directions and find no numbered cross roads or accurate signs.  One of the main sports in Oregon seems to be to sight in your gun on a sign.  They have done a fine job in this area as only splinters of signs remain.  They like to make new roads and close off old ones and maps can’t keep up with the changes.  As luck would have it, a forest ranger drives by and we get some help.  He points us in the right direction, but before he lets us go we are chastised for riding off road in this closed forest and we aren’t carrying our fire extinguishers.  “So sorry, but we’ll be on it next time”.  It’s now about 4:00 pm.  We ride about an hour or so and find the “road closed” signs.  There is a detour, 20+ miles.  this is all very narrow and windy.  When we meet up with the main road again it is nearly dark.  My headlight is working intermittently as all the vibration has loosened a connection which we can’t find.  A bit of jiggling and choice profanity and presto it works.  Of course a trip to Oregon wouldn’t be complete without a dose of rain, and we weren’t disappointed.  Dark, rainy, my lighting system failed again and we are almost out of gas.  The joys of an adventure.  We burn through the reserve gas supply and coast into Myrtle Point and fill up.  Now the fastest way to our final destination, Port Orford; another 50 + miles.  Ryk is riding right behind me, cozy in his rain gear and heated grips, to keep light on for me when mine fails.  It’s a little disconcerting when your lights go dark on a slick wet corner in pitch black conditions.  It is difficult to see with rain on the goggles and everyone in Oregon is driving the lonely road with high beams blasting.  It seems an eternity before we arrive at the motel.  Don is excited to see us though it is 9:00pm (and closer to 240 miles) and his cold beers don’t seem as appealing as hot brandy.  All the restaurants are closed, but the tavern is serving microwave pizza and salad.  Aside from a local bothersome drunk, we celebrate our accomplishment and look forward to a shower and a good nights sleep.

DON

The ride from Canyonville to Port Orford was terrific! Drove by Crater Lake (not enough time to go to Lake) and then down the Rogue River Canyon. Beautiful scenery with many picturesque sites. Went over the Coastal Mountain Range to Gold Beach. Arrived in Port Orford in the late afternoon and settled in the Motel. Expected Dan and Ryk to arrive by 5 or 6 o’clock in the evening. At 7 o’clock they had not arrived and i began to get concerned. It was raining, dark and miserable out. At 8 o’clock they still had not arrived. I was getting real concerned and checked the Satellite Phone for any messages. No messages! Now i was getting frantic. Why were they not here and if something was wrong why did they not call? Finally at 9 pm they arrived cold and wet. What a relief! They told me they had become lost and were very cold ,wet and tired and did not want to take the time to stop and make a call. They were very happy to get in the Motel room and clean up and get warm.